Soap dispenser



I Sept. 15, 1959 H. L. PHILIPPE SOAP DISPENSER l Filed Feb. 7, 1955 QNN e N N \\.N ,f IILI NWN M Il-- L 1 L W 7 QN 0 um I .x l/ n NNN @NS w \\\\%M7 %N 4 NNN W MN @NN ,Q N @N im QN u N NN @SN @N NN N @NN @N NNNNNN NN m NNN@ lv QNNN NNWQNN NNN @NPN N ww ll "`Nl`l 0 QWN. Q J/l NN hN EN @N N www ab@ NSN GNN. RNINNI NN .N\\ Q I \N\ @NPS @NSN NQS/N .N SN SN me@ Sete Pese if@ .mit

soAP DISPENSER Howard L. Philippe, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The I mperial Brass Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Illinois Application February 7, 1955, Serial No. 486,'404

1 Claim. (Cl. Z22-148) This inventin relates to a soap dispenser and in particular to a soap dispensing fixture arranged to provide discrete masses of soap foam.

While many forms of soap dispensing fixtures are known in the art these have been found generally to possess certain material disadvantages. Generally such fixtures comprise a soap solution container carried by a tubular fixture body member with communication being had between the interior of the body member and the interior of the container. The soap solution container is normally disposed above the body member so that the solution may flow by gravity into the body member. A plunger is provided having a sliding portion and a projecting or button portion extending outwardly to allow manual operation thereof. To accommodate the sliding motion of the plunger button the dispensing fixtures previously found in the art have utilized separate sleeve members carried by the body member. Such construction entailed the additional manufacturing operations and costs inherent in assembled structures.

The plunger buttons generally are provided with longitudinal passages through which the soap solution passes in being ejected from an outlet provided in the button end. Within this passage is normally provided frothing or foaming means which act to aerate the soap solution mechanically before it is ejected from the passage outlet. Means such as a plurality of transversely extending discs spaced longitudinally within the passage are typical of such foam forming devices; a serious disadvantage, however, arises with such devices in that they tend to clog necessitating costly maintenance or replacement. They further do not effectively prevent dripping of the soap solution when the fixture is not in use, causing unsightly and messy deposits on whatever is disposed below the fixture (generally a wash basin or stand). Further, such foaming means are costly of manufacture as a considerable number of small parts having relatively rigid tolerance requirements are utilized.

The principal object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a new and improved soap dispensing fixture.

Another object is to provide such a soap fixture having a unitary body member in which a plunger button may be slidably received and which carries a soap solution container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a soap fixture having new and improved foaming means being simple of manufacture and economical of cost. A still further object is to provide such lfoaming means comprising a replaceable brush element.

Still another object is to provide a soap dispensing fixture having a unitary body member and a sealing block member disposed medially within the body member to effect compartmentalization thereof.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a soap dispensin fixture embodying the invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical diametrical sectional view thereof with the plunger button in the nor' mal, projected position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal diametrical; sectional view thereof with the plunger button in the fully retracted position. I

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken approximately alongthe line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken approximately along the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Fig. 1, one embodiment of my invention may be seen wherein a soap solution container 10 is mounted on a tubular body member 11 in which is slidably carried a plunger button 12. The body member may be secured to a suitable mounting surface such as a wall W, as by a bracket 11 or similar suitable securing means. For proper operation of my fixture, however, it is necessary that the body member be disposed generally horizontally with the container 10 arranged upwardly therefrom to allow a gravity flow of soap solution placed in the container downwardly therefrom and through the body mem`H ber and plunger button, as will be described in greater detail here following.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 2, the soap fixture may be seen further to include sealing block means 13 disposed medially within the body member 11 so as to compartmentalize it into two portionsinner end portion 11a and outer end portion 11b. Extending through the body member wall 11e is an aperture or hole 11e' communicating interiorly with the portion 11a and exteriorly with the soap solution container 10 so as to allow passage of soap solution from the container into the inner portion 11a. A flow control valve means 14 is provided to regulate, in cooperation with the plunger button 12, the ow of soap solution from the container 10. A sleeve member 15, extending through the sealing block means 13, abuts both a piston means 16 provided as a part of plunger button 12 and valve means 14 to provide operative association therebetween and allow fiow of soap solution from portion 11a into portion 11bof the body member.

Piston means 16 is arranged to cause the soap solu-` tion contained in portion 11b to flow into a longitudinall passage 17 in an inner plunger portion 12b and an outer` button portion 12a of the plunger button 12. At the: outer end of the passage 17, shown as within outer but-- ton portion 12a, an outlet opening 18 is provided having an outwardly projecting discharge tube 18a. Within the passage 17 is carried a foaming device 19 comprising a brush. In passing from body member portion 11b through passage 17 and outwardly from the outlet 18 the soap solution is aerated by the action of the brush 19 so as to be ejected in the form of foam or froth.

As can best be seen in Figures 2 to 5, body member 11 comprises a generally tubular member of unitary construction and having a radially extending, externally projecting Aboss 11d arranged to receive the open mouth end of the container 10. A washer 10a is provided within the boss for sealing the container to the body member; litharge may Ibe placed between the threads of the boss and the container to augment the seal if desired. A container of the type normally found in the art preferably having a filling port 10a in its upper portion may be used to allow replenishing of the soap solution mass without removing the container from the body member.

The internal bore of body member 11 is provided with a shoulder 11e against which an annular sealing block 13a abuts. Extending peripherally in the block 13a is a groove 13a in which an Oering 13b is mounted to form a seal between the body member and the block. Block A13a is provided axially with a cylindrical bore v131C in' which the Sleeve is slidably retained. The inner end of the bore 13C is enlarged forming a shoulder 13e intermediate the ends of the bore and an internally threaded end 13d is provided in the enlarged portion for the mounting of the valve means 14 therein.

Flow control valve means 14 comprises a cup member` 14a having an open end 14a' externally -threaded for engagement with block threaded end 13 d. `I nner closed end 14a" of cup member 14a is provided with an opening 14a" adapted to receive and -guide a valve -14b which seats against the interior surface of closed end 14a. The external diameter ofthe cup member 414a is made somewhat smaller than the internal diameter of the body member bore and the longitudinal'length of the cup member is made such that closed-end 14a" is spaced somewhat from the'body member wall 11e portion formingthe closed end of the bodymember so that soap solution may pass from'the hole 11e around the cup member to the opening 14a". To facilitate flow into the opening and accommodate the inner end of the valve when the valve is fully seated (as shown in Fig. 3), a notch 11c" is provided in the wall 11e immediately adjacent the valve opening 14a".

Extending longitudinally through the cup member 14a and secured at one end to the valve 1'4b is a valve stem 14e. The end opposite that to which the valve is attached is enlarged radially to form a cylindrical guide portion 14C', which is slidably retained in alongitudinally extending cylindrical recess 15a in the sleeve 15. The Vtit between-guide portion 14e and the sleeve is made rather close so that pneumatic and/or hydraulic pressures are produced when the guide is moved therein, while sufficient clearance is provided to permit soap solution to flow around the circumferential edge of the guide portion 14e' to opposite sides thereof as the guide portion moves through the recess between the extreme positions of Figs. 2 and 3. The inner end 15b of the sleeve 15 is flanged radially outwardly to provide an abutment for an annular' washer 14d carried on the valve stem 14C. A helical spring 14e is disposed within the cup member with one end bearing against closed end 14a and the other end bearing against washer 14d; spring 14e thus acts to hold the washer against the sleeve end 15b thereby retaining the enlarged end 14e' of the valve stern within the sleeve recess 15a and also yieldingly urging the sleeve 15 outwardly (or to the right as seen in Fig. 2). This outward movement of the sleeve is restricted by abutment of flanged end 15b with an annular sealing gasket 13e surrounding the sleeve 15 and abutting inner end-13e' of the sealing block 13a. While the external diameters of the washer 14d and the flanged sleeve end 15b are made somewhat smaller than the diameter of the bore of the cup member 11E-aso that soap solution may pass therebetween, spring 14e causes the sleeve end 15b tightly to abut the gasket 13e and the gasket tightly to abut the sealing block shoulder 13C so that flow therebetween is prevented in the positioning of Fig. 2.

A second helical spring 14f is disposed surrounding the valve stern 14C having one end abutting washer 14d and the other end abutting valve Mb. This spring is made relatively weak so that relatively small pressure differentials produced by movement of the plunger button outwardly through-body member portion 11b and movement of the sleeve 15 outwardly from the valve stern 14C will overcome the spring and allow the valve to move away from cup member end 14a (to the right as seen in Fig. 2) and allow the fluid soap solution to enter into the interior of the cup member.

When thesleeve 15 is moved inwardly (to the left as seen in Fig. 2) by action of the plunger button 12 pressing against it, valve spring 14j will be urged inwardly to seat valve Mb against end 14a" thereby preventing any backflow of soap solution from the intericrof the cup member through the opening 14am. Starting at afpoint spaced from anged end 15b of the sleeveV and extending longitudinally outwardly toward the opposite end, portions of the outer wall of the sleeve are eut away so as to form generally planar chordal surfaces 15C. Thus, as may best be seen in Figs. 3 and 4, resultant spaces 15c' are formed between the sleeve surfaces 15C and the wall of the block 13a within bore 13C. When the sleeve is positioned so that these cut away portions extend into the valve means cup member 14a inwardly of the sealing gasket 13e (as shown in Fig. 3) the seal between the gasket 13e and the sleeve is removed and soap solution may llo-w through'spaces 15C' into the outer portion 11b of the body member. Upon removal of the force tending to move the plunger button inwardly, .the spring 14e acts to force the sleeve outwardly (to the right as seen in Figs. 2 and 3) until the flanged end 15b abuts the gasket 13e, thus causing the plunger button to assume the normal, projected position of Fig. 2. As seen in Fig. 2, the outward movement of the plunger button f12 may continue a small amount after sleeve end 15b abuts gasket 13e, thereby causing a slight separation between the plunger button and sleeve when the plunger button-isin the normal, projecting position.

Piston means 16 of plunger button 12 comprises an annular piston 16a having an enlarged inner end 16a' having a diameter just slightly smaller than the diameter ofthe bore of outer body member portion 11b so that soap solution may be passed outwardly around the enlargement 1611 when the piston is moved inwardly. Circumferentially spaced, radially extending holes 1Gb are provided in the mid-portion of the piston communicating interiorly with the bore 16a thereof. An annular sealing ring 16C is disposed surrounding the piston mid-portion outwardly of the piston holes 16b to have sealing engagement therewith and with the body member 12. Anannular boss 16a" is provided centrally on the piston to act as an inner retaining member for the sealing ring, and an expansion ring 16e is mounted on the sealing ring 16C to force it into sealing engagement with the body member while allowing longitudinal sliding movement between the ring and body member. Supporting the outer-end of the sealing ring and abutting the inner end of plunger portion 12b is an annular cup washer 16d. The outer end 16e of the piston is exteriorly threaded for engagement with the plunger portion. Piston bore 16a" extends longitudinally therethrough having a somewhat reduced diameter at the inner end so that the outer end of fthe sleeve in abutting the piston end portion 16a' may close off the bore at that end, preventing flow ofthe soap solution therethrough.

The inner or plunger portion 12b of plunger button 12 is slidably received within the body member portion 11b. Longitudinal passage 17 is disposed through plunger portion 12b and extends outwardly into the outer or button lportion 12a but not therethrough. The inner end 17a of passage 17 is threaded to receive the threaded outerend 16e of the piston so that the piston means 16 including the piston 16a, sealing ring 16C and cup washer 16d may be xedly secured to the plunger portion 12b. Received in the outer end ofpassage 17 is closed-ended tubular liner or insert 17b for protecting the plunger button from wearing action of foaming means 19 which is mounted therein. A radially extending outlet opening lpassing through the button portion 12a and the insert 17b Vprovides communication between the passage and the interior of the discharge tube 18a extending outwardly from the button portion.

In the embodiment shown, the foaming means 19 comprises a brush having a back or support 19a extending axially through passage 17. Generally radially extending bristles 19h are secured to the support 19a, being spaced longitudinally and circumferentially to each other. Such foaming means, I havefound, properly aerates l the soap solutionin passage 117 so-that superior foaming action occurs. LBristles 19b `are somewhat resilient and. by means of the soap solution moving-reciprocatorily past them in the operation of the plunger button they are reciprocated and tend to be self-cleaning, thereby eifectively preventing the clogging inherent in the foaming means now found in the art. The reciprocation of the bristles further acts to maintain the walls of passage 17 and the opening of outlet 18 into passage 17 free of soap accumulation by the scrubbing effect produced. By freely receiving the brush 19 in the passage 17 some longitudinal movement of the entire brush is allowed whereby the bristle reciprocation and scrubbing eifect are increased. Further, because a large number of surfaces are utilized through the use of a plurality of bristle tufts the dripping of soap solution from the outlet or discharge tube 18a is effectively prevented.

For restricting the outward movement of the plunger button I provide a stop screw 12C threadedly secured to the body member adjacent its outer end and with a radially inwardly projecting shank 12e. A longitudinal groove 12d is provided in the plunger portion 12b extending outwardly from a point spaced from the inner end so that outward movement of the plunger button 12 is limited by the abutment thereof at the inner end of the groove 12d with the stop screw shank 12e. It may be seen that ready disassembly of the soap dispensing xture is accomplished by the retraction of the screw 12e to remove shank 120 from groove 12d allowing the withdrawal of the plunger button 12 assembly as a unit and the sealing block means 13, flow control valve means 14 and sleeve 15 assembly as a unit. A peripheral groove 15d is provided near the outer end of the sleeve 15 so that an appropriately hooked tool may be employed in the removal of the latter assembly if desired. Further, if for any reason it is necessary to replace the brush foaming means 19 this may be readily accomplished by unthreading the piston 16a from the plunger portion 12b, withdrawing the old brush and inserting the new brush into the passage 17. As the brush element is extremely economical of manufacture, being of a mass produced type, the cost of replacing this unit is minimal.

In operation, the container is rst filled with soap solution which will flow by gravity through hole 11o into body member portion 11a surrounding the ow control valve means 14. Manual movement of the plunger button inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3 is then effected. This causes the sleeve to act against the washer 14d, compressing the springs 14e and 14jc and tightly sealing the valve 14b against the cup valve end 14a. During this movement, guide portion 14e of the valve stern moves to the right-hand end of bore 13e. Upon release of the plunger button, spring 14e acts against the washer 14d to move sleeve 15 outwardly and cause the outer end 15e thereof to abut the inner end 16a of the plunger button -12 and move the plunger button outwardly. At the same time, the pressure differential forces acting on the valve stem guide portion 14C tending to cause the valve stem to move outwardly with the sleeve 15, and the hydrostatic pressure of the soap solution surrounding the cup member, displace the valve from the opening 14a'" allowing the soap solution to enter and fill the cup member interior. A subsequent insertion of the plunger button causes disengagement of the sleeve inner end 15b from the sealing block gasket 13e and the dispositon of the sleeve Within the cup member 14a so that as soon as spaces 15C adjacent the chordal surfaces 150 move into communication with the cup member interior, soap solution passes around the periphery of the Washer 14d and sleeve end 15b and through spaces 15C into body member portion 11b. When the plunger button is released, it again moves outwardly by the action of the spring 14e, and the valve 14b again unseats and allows soap solution to enter the cup member interior replacing that having tiowed into portion 11b.

On the next insertion of the plunger button, as the valve 14h substantially immediately seats to preclude back flow, soap solution in portion 11b is forced around the piston end portion 16a', through the radial holes 1Gb and into the longitudinal passage 17 The brush foaming means 19 in the passage 17 causes the soap solution to be aerated and thus be ejected in the form of froth or foam from the outlet tube 18a. When the plunger button is now released, spring `14e causes the replacement of the soap solution iluid in the cup member and the bore portion 11b, as described above, up to the point where the space between the chordal surfaces 14e and the gasket 13e no longer communicates with the interior of the cup member. The remaining outward motion of the plunger button from this point reduces the pressure in portion 11b which causes air Ito enter through the outlet opening 1S, the passage 17, the radial holes 16b and into portion 11b. This action causes an improved mixing of air and soap solution allowing the foaming means to function more elfectively during subsequent cycles. Further, this reverse ilow of air and entrained soap solution urges the brush to the left as seen in Fig. 2 to translate the entire brush thereby effecting further sweeping of the passage by the bristles.` The inward movement of the brush is limited by the engagement of the inner end 19C of the support with end 15e of `the sleeve which, as indicated above, is spaced slightly inwardly from end 16a of the piston means 16 when the plunger is in the fully outward disposition. When the plunger is next pressed inwardly, sleeve end 15e is brought into abutment with piston end 16a and the brush is translated relatively to the right, as seen in Fig. 2, until the inner end 19C thereof no longer extends inwardly through the inner end 16f of the piston bore 16am. Thus, in addition to the reciprocating action of the soap solution and air displacing the brush bodily in the passage, a positive outward displacement is eifected by the sleeve end, which displacements effect improved sweeping of the passage by the bristles 19b.

My soap dispensing xture provides improved foaming action while eifectively preventing clogging thereof and dripping therefrom. Simplified construction allows for greater economy in manufacture and ease of maintenance and replacement.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appendant claim.

I claim:

A soap dispenser comprising a tubular body having a soap inlet adjacent one end, a one-way valved piston in said tubular body adjacent said inlet end, said piston having a rod extending therefrom toward the opposite end of said tubular body, said rod having a longitudinal passage along at least a part of its length, a tubular piston actuator in said 'tubular body having a soap outlet and having an end in opposed spaced relation to said rod, and a brush having a coaxial support in said piston actuator, the brush support terminating substantially coincidentally with the rod opposing end of said actuator, whereby said brush and brush support may have limited lateral and longitudinal movement for foaming and cleaning purposes.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,526,167 Martino Feb. 10, 1925 1,537,552 Rotunno May 12, 1925 2,139,735 Dobkin Dec. 13, 1938 2,193,999 Allen Mar. 19, 1940 2,231,477 Palmer Feb. 11, 1941 2,232,358 Baerer Feb. 18, 1941 2,233,716 Seidel Mar. 4, 1941 2,643,669 Logan June 30, 1953 

